Coronavirus: Australia commits $123m to a worldwide vaccine distribution alliance

Australia is now eligible to purchase Covid vaccine doses via the COVAX Facility, a global collaboration to accelerate development and equitable access.

Australia will commit an initial $123.2 million to join the purchasing mechanism of COVAX. Picture: istock

Australia has committed $123 million to a worldwide vaccine distribution alliance, opening up the opportunity to be supplied COVID-19 vaccines for up to half of the Australian population while ensuring equal access to developing nations.

The agreement struck with the World Health Organisation, the vaccine alliance Gavi and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations means Australia is now eligible to purchase vaccine doses via the COVAX Facility, a global collaboration to accelerate development, production and equitable access to COVID-19 treatments and vaccines.

Under the agreement, Australia will commit an initial $123.2 million to join the purchasing mechanism of COVAX. The agreement allows Australia to receive offers to purchase vaccines via the alliance when they become available.

Federal health minister Greg Hunt said the deal secured early access for Australia to any safe and successful COVID-19 vaccine.

“Whoever finds a COVID-19 vaccine must share it. Australia signing up to the COVAX Facility is an important part of our commitment to this principle.

“Being a part of COVAX means we’re giving Australians the best chance of accessing a safe and effective vaccine, but also our neighbours in the Pacific and Southeast Asia, and partners overseas.”

The WHO announced that governments covering two-thirds of the population had signed up to COVAX. More than 170 countries have signed up or indicated they will join e alliance which aims to guarantee the fair and equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. The US and China have not signed on.

Australia is one of 80 self-financing countries that have indicated they will join the COVAX initiative. A further 92 low and middle-income countries who are eligible to be subsidised by richer countries have submitted expressions of interest to join COVAX.

COVAX was established by Gavi as part of an international vaccine partnership with CEPI, the WHO and other organisations.

It aims to ensure that there is equitable access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines, when available, through facilitating purchases, funding access for developing countries, and allowing countries to trade or donate doses.

COVAX is the only global initiative that is working with governments and manufacturers to ensure COVID-19 vaccines are available worldwide to both higher-income and lower-income countries.

The WHO says the COVAX Facility will pool buying power from participating economies and providing volume guarantees across a range of promising vaccine candidates. That would allow vaccine manufacturers to make early investments in manufacturing capacity, providing participating countries and economies with the best chance at rapid access to doses of a successful COVID-19 vaccine.

Australia has previously committed $80 million to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment, the collaborative worldwide effort to provide vaccine doses to developing countries.

Foreign minister Marise Payne said it is in Australia and the Pacific region’s interest to support the COVAX facility.

“Access to vaccines will play a critical role in the economic recovery of our region from this pandemic,” Senator Payne said.

“Now more than ever, we must come together as global community to ensure that our response leaves no one behind.”